November 14th, 2003

Everyone was able to accurately guess it was Katri (plaidpants). Whom, I kindly blurred out her real name on her ID card, as she hates it, and doesn't want people to know it.

Several people were close on the locate(s)/event. It was the very first Coffee Meet, which started at Dana St. Coffee (the first picture) in Mountain View, and ended up across the street at Fiesta del Mar (the second picture).

I've hed this sore neck for about three days now. I'm not sure how I got it. I just woke up and it hurt a little, and by the end of the day it was hurting a lot. I've tried stretching the muscles, massage, hot tubbing, etc. Nothing is working. Actually, heat and pressure do help a little, but it's a short term thing.

Anyway, I was just going to lunch today, and there were a lot of good looking women out walking and running. And every time I would turn my head to look... OUCH!!! Yep, my neck would reel me back into line.

Reading this weeks auto weekm they were covering the SEMA show. Two things caught my eye right off. Actually, they list it as two things, but on leads right into the other.

Mre crate engines from FordFord introduced two variations of the 5.0 Cammer V8 crate engine seen at last year's show. Traditionalists grumbled then about the relatively high-tech Cammer fuel injection, so Ford came back this year with a carbureted Cammer, which should be available in December through the Ford Racing Performance Parts catalog. It has four two-barrel Webers feeding a Ford Racing intake. All told, it makes 420 hp at 6700 rpm and 395 lb-ft of torque at 4000 revs. Ford debuted the engine in a beautifully restored 1965 Mustang Fastback.

Ford will also offer a supercharged, fuel-injected Cammer crate engine that should make 500 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. That's "should," because it hasn't been dyno-tested yet. It won't be out until 2005, but the prototype was unveiled at the show in a nicely redone Ford FR100 panel truck, complete with UPS livery.

"You want to talk about what Brown can do for you?" asked a Ford exec, rhetorically of course.

Rear-drive, V8 Focus RS8Now Ford itself makes a kit that will allow you to put a V8 engine in a Focus and use the power to spine the rear wheels. And not just any V8. In this case it's the 5.0-liter Cammer V8 crate engine tuned to make 420 hp at 6700 rpm and 370 lb-ft at 5000 rpm. Mercy! The RS8 concept uses the European Focus RS as a doner, but when the kit comes out early next it will fit right in your U.S.-spec Focus. The kit is expected to cost about $5000, but the Cammer V8 will sticker at $14,995. Then you have to put it in. So it ain't cheap. But won't it be fun to thrill the gang at the next club drifting event?

So, the fuel injected on would give the Focus 500 hp and 600 lb-ft torque. How much does that car weigh? Then add the NOS, and a few other things and you would have all the Japanese mod-tuners hanging their heads in shame because they just got dusted by a tiny ass American car. A wimpy Ford Focus, no less. Yum.